Organic produce and food items may be preferred by many, but they are also unaffordable by many, too.

Often times, selecting organic means that you will pay more at the checkout. Much more.

When you are buying for a household on a budget, sometimes choosing organic isn’t a choice at all. So, what are the options if organic items are out of range?

It is still possible to make the most of healthy and conscious food selections while staying on a budget.

To start, incorporating tips that stretch a dollar will allow grocery money to go further, which will let you buy more items or add on foods that may not normally be on the list due to their price.

Coupons help, of course, but tools and apps aimed at the supermarket can be another huge way to save and provide important information.

PareUp is a source for posting surplus food from restaurants and grocery stores that want to offer it to interested customers.

Excess food is routinely thrown out from businesses, even though much of it is still safe for consumption. Places that sign up can sell food at a discounted price instead of just throwing it away, and customers can buy perfectly good items and save money.

Currently, information and updates are being posted on Facebook, but a free mobile app is in the works for both individual consumers and businesses.

Image source: pareup.com

Also, purchasing locally and in season can be a truly significant way to stay the closest to the newest produce and other items. If food is less traveled it will be fresher, more flavorful and is often a cost effective alternative to buying food that contains preservatives to increase shelf life. Buying seasonal items is also a way to try out a wide variety of food.

Choosing organic can eliminate some of the worry associated with food contaminants, but examining what pesticides may be on specific non-organic foods can increase awareness and help with taking extra precautions.

The Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce from Environmental Working Group is a research based, current list of top produce offenders and best choices regarding fruits and vegetables. Learn about the Dirty Dozen Plus and Clean Fifteen, then apply it to your next shopping trip.

Another useful resource is called Whats On My Food?This inventory shows food and water that have been discovered to contain pesticide residues, as well as the health consequences reported from the specific contaminates. Provided by the Pesticide Action Network of North America, it is available online and for download as an iPhone app.

Additionally, True Food is an app from the Centers for Food Safety that alerts consumers of products that are genetically engineered. It can be downloaded for free from iTunes or Google play.

For seafood lovers, another free app available on iTunes and Google play is called Seafood Watch. It lets users search for ocean friendly options and offers recommendations and information.

A related video that unearths several interesting and eye-opening issues that have taken place in the U.S. food industry is called Fed Up.

Have a look at the trailer:

Being realistic and researched, plus having practical resources, can help keep costs, contaminants, food waste and energy use down.

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